Well, today is the first day of BBBB! Here's a quick message for the "newbies" from Dusty.
Read If This is your FIRST Big Bear Bronco Bash
BBBBXXI – Please read if this is your FIRST Big Bear Bronco Bash!
Hey guys it looks like we’re going to have a LOT more new people at the Bash this year than usual, primarily due to all of our new friends with 6G Broncos. So I wanted to take a moment to explain a few things, manage expectations, and hopefully ward off any complaining before it starts. These are a few things you need to know about So Cal Broncos and Big Bear Bronco Bash, in order to make the best of your event.
THIS IS A DISORGANIZATION. I think this is the most important thing to know going in, in order to manage your expectations. So Cal Broncos is not a “club” in the usual sense. We’re just a loosely associated group of Bronco buddies who love to hit the trails but have no use for all of the structural apparatus of a normal club. What this means for you, as someone new, is that there is nobody to bitch at if something isn’t exactly up to your expectations. We have no officers, no committees, no registration, no rules, no overbearing club bosses telling you where to go and what to do.
EVERYONE IS A VOLUNTEER. Because we are a disorganization, and because we don’t charge and collect money to attend Bronco Bash, anything and everything you see anyone doing in order to make things happen is being done on a volunteer basis. From myself and my wife Steffie as chief rabble-rousers, to Kirk and our amazing Grillmaster crew, to the run leaders and those who have chipped in to help do or pay for anything you see happening, these are all volunteers. Please understand that they are up here trying to have a great time as well, so take it easy on them, cut them some slack if things don’t go as smoothly as you’d like, and of course thank them for helping out.
YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. By this I mean that it is ultimately up to YOU to make sure you have a great time. There’s nobody at Bronco Bash in charge of that for you. We’ve done everything we can to provide as much information as possible prior to the event, so you can make whatever choices are best for your Bronco Bash experience. That includes what runs to do, when and where to show up, what’s going on at the resort HQ during after-hours, etc. ALL of that information is available on the website and forums we have posted and linked to repeatedly over the last few weeks during the runup to Bronco Bash. It is incumbent upon you to have checked out that information, and keep those links handy in your phone during the event for reference. There will be no information kiosk or central hub or concierge service at the Bash to tell you where to go and what to do. That said, everyone is kind and helpful, and happy to answer questions if they can.
AFTER HOURS EVENTS AT WOLF CREEK RESORT. As you’ve seen in the posts, our headquarters is at Wolf Creek Resort. That’s a large 30-unit resort that we booked and filled up with all our own So Cal Broncos people. I understand that because most of you are new, you’ve had to make lodging accomodations elsewhere. If you’re staying somewhere else, you are still welcome to come to the resort to hang out, attend our after-hours activities, kick tires and tell lies, have a few beers with your fellow Bronco nuts. But please remember that you’ll be on the grounds as a guest. We don’t have a janitorial crew so please be courteous, use the trash cans, etc. Also note that parking within the resort will be tight, so if you’re not registered there as a guest, please try to park along the street or in a nearby parking lot, so that those who are actually renting the rooms and cabins there have access to their own parking spaces.
BEAR WITH US IN THIS UNUSUAL SITUATION. Things are a little bit different for us this year for two main reasons, so I hope you’ll keep that in mind throughout the weekend, if things seem a bit chaotic and random. The first challenge is that we are not in our usual spot. The resort we had HQ’d at for the past 8 years or so suddenly changed owners and we had to scramble to find a new venue, only a few months prior to the event. While we had everything down to a well-oiled machine at the old place, we’re not quite sure what curve balls we’ll face with this new place. We’re just glad we were able to find someplace to do this. But we appreciate your understanding if it seems like amateur hour. The other big difference this year is you. There are a LOT of you. By that I mean brand new people who are new to So Cal Broncos and Big Bear Bronco Bash. Not only that, many of you are new to Broncos period, or new to anything 4X4 or off-road related. We welcome you of course, but please know that we’re not used to having so many new folks come into the event at once. So again, please bear with us if we don’t seem like a well-oiled machine.
THIS IS NOT A NORMAL OFF-ROAD EVENT. For those who have been to other events of this nature, I think it’s important to understand that this is nothing like most of the other events out there. We actually call this sort of a “non-event”. At its core, its just a bunch of Bronco guys meeting up in Big Bear to run some trails together. There’s no pavilion, no vendor show, no registration area, no information kiosk, no tech inspections, no welcoming committee, no one to pick up after you. Keep those things in mind and you’ll have a great time.
WE ARE THERE TO WHEEL. So Cal Broncos is all about getting out and using our Broncos on the trail. So we hope you take full advantage of that. While we’ve done what we can to round up some run leaders and post some run lists, note that nothing is binding, these are all just suggestions. Use those run lists to plan your days. Note that some of them won’t have any takers. That doesn’t mean nobody will be doing them, just that they didn’t bother to use the signup sheet. If there’s no designated run leader, choose one among those who show up, get out your GPS, and have fun. If you’re the only one who showed up, hurry over to an alternate choice to try to catch up with a different group. The best way to firm up your run plans for the following day is to hang out at the HQ the night before and shoot the shit with everyone, ask around, see what folks are doing, and tag along with some of your new friends.
IF YOU HAVE INVITED OTHERS who are not on our So Cal Broncos social channels and forums, please forward this to them. I've seen a few examples of people, companies and other forums inviting people up to our event. We welcome everyone, we just want to make sure everyone understands what Bronco Bash is and what it isn't. So post please post this, along with all of the links to info on our website and forums, wherever you've extended an outside invitation, so your guests will know what to expect.
Lastly, I want to thank all of you for your enthusiasm. I love seeing people that are new to our group, our event, to Broncos or to off-road stuff. We’re glad you’re here and look forward to meeting you in real life, not just on the Internet!
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